I Am Not What You Think
by Rubes99
Summary: "My life is not what you think it is. You think I have it easy. I do not." A short 'poem' from Danny's perspective, directed at basically everyone who's ever put him down.


I Am Not What You Think

My life is not what you think it is.  
You think I have it easy.  
I do not.  
One wrong move and hundreds of people could die, all because of me.  
That is not easy.  
You think I worry about the same things that you do.  
My worries are much more deadly than yours.  
You worry about clothes and popularity, and if you should dump your friends.  
I worry about the fate of the world, I shoulder responsibility and pain.  
_My life is not what you think it is._

I am not who you think I am.  
You think I am weak.  
I am not.  
You think that you can hurt me, with a few carelessly chosen words.  
You cannot.  
I am stronger than you give me credit  
You, of all people, cannot break me.  
Not when I am already broken.  
_I am not who you think I am._

You think that you know me.  
You judge me without knowing what I go through every day.  
The demons I battle.  
You have no right.  
You do not know the guilt that haunts me, the knowledge that I should have been faster, smarter, better, every time I close my eyes.  
You condemn me without knowledge, without right.  
_You do not know me._

You say that I do not care.  
You are right.  
I do not care.  
I do not care what you think.  
I have more important things to worry about.  
I do not care if you hate me.  
More important people than you already want me dead.  
I do not care if I fail your tests.  
I pass harder ones every day, when failure means death.  
Your death.  
But you look at me with disgust in your eyes.  
_I do not care._

I have my reasons.  
Reasons you may never know.  
You think that you have the right to know my secrets,  
That you have the right to my respect.  
But you do not.  
You have not earned that.  
You do not have a right to my respect.  
Not when you injure the small and weak  
The unprotected.  
You do not have a right to my secrets.  
You have given me no reason to trust you.  
_My reasons are mine alone._

You know nothing of responsibility.  
You think that it is remembering to feed your dog.  
It is not.  
Responsibility is much more than that.  
It is shouldering the troubles of the world and receiving no thanks.  
It is what weighs me down every day.  
_You know nothing of responsibility._

You say that you are strong. Brave.  
What do you know of strength? Of bravery?  
Strength is giving your life for someone you've never met because you believe it is right  
Not the number of weights you can lift.  
Bravery is doing what is right when no one else will.  
Not rescuing a cat from a tree.  
You do not know the meaning of strength and bravery.  
To you they are only words.  
You are not strong.  
_You are not brave._

_My life is not what you think it is._  
Because my life is a lie.  
_I am not who you think I am._  
Because the person you know is a mask.  
He does not exist.  
_You do not know me._  
Because you have never tried.  
_I do not care._  
Because too many people are in danger because of me.  
I do not need one more person to save.  
_My reasons are mine alone._  
Because some things are better left secret.  
_You know nothing of responsibility._  
Because it is better for everyone if you don't.  
_You are not brave._  
Because you will never stand up for what is right if it means being ridiculed and hated.

_Do not presume to know me or my life._  
My lies are better left untouched.  
_Do not think that you know me, or why I do not care._  
The things I have done are better left buried.  
_Do not try to learn my reasons, to take on my responsibility._  
It will only end up destroying you like it has me.

_I am not brave.  
I am not a hero._  
_I only do what I think is right._  
You do not know me.

* * *

**A/N: **This is just something I wrote the other day. I don't really know where it came from and I didn't have a fandom in mind when I wrote it, but I was kind of channelling Danny Phantom. My friends read it and told me that they thought it was for Alex Rider, so I'm posting it as both. (So if you got a notification saying that I just wrote a new story, this is it.

On another note, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

For some reason it doesn't really feel like it, though.


End file.
